Two members of Congress plan to send a strongly worded letter to the commissioner of the National Football League on Monday urging him to support changing the name of the Washington Redskins because it offends Native Americans and others, with one lawmaker saying she might reconsider the league’s tax-exempt status if it does not comply.

Senator Maria Cantwell, Democrat of Washington State and chairwoman of the Indian Affairs Committee, said in an interview on Sunday that lawmakers would “definitely” examine the N.F.L.’s tax-exempt status and other ways to pressure the league.

“You’re getting a tax break for educational purposes, but you’re still embracing a name that people see as a slur and encouraging it,” Ms. Cantwell said.

In a copy of the letter released on Sunday, Ms. Cantwell and Representative Tom Cole, Republican of Oklahoma and a member of the Native American Caucus, chided the N.F.L. commissioner, Roger Goodell, for his recent remark that the name of the team, based near Washington, D.C., “honored” Native Americans.

“The N.F.L. can no longer ignore this and perpetuate the use of this name as anything but what it is: a racial slur,” they said.

{snip}

But a spokesman for the Redskins took issue. “With all the important issues Congress has to deal with, such as a war in Afghanistan to deficits to health care, don’t they have more important issues to worry about than a football team’s name?” the spokesman, Tony Wyllie, wrote in an email. “And given the fact that the name of Oklahoma means ‘red people’ in Choctaw, this request is a little ironic.”

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MekongDelta69

Name the the Whiteskins.

We’re not professional ‘offendees.’ We’ll be proud…

bigone4u

I don’t care about the Negro Felon League, but I admire the fact that the team itself is resisting the false demonization of the team name as racist. This kind of resistence is rare and should be encouraged.

Katherine McChesney

‘… Negro Felon League,…’

Perfect name for the NFL. Thugs, Lowlife criminals.

Thanks for the laugh.

NeanderthalDNA

Control speech = control thought.

Democratic Totalitarianism.

I prefer democratic “fascism” any day. Nowhere near as brutal and soul crushing.

Truthseeker

As much as I hate political correctness and wish more people would speak out against it, I have a feeling that the only reason they’re fighting the name change is because they don’t want to rebrand their entire franchise. If the Redskins didn’t have a long and fairly successful history with the name, they’d probably have no problem with changing it.

I have a feeling the name is going to be changed at some point. Eventually there’ll be too much pressure, and they’ll cave. That’s how leftists operate: They drum up a sense of moral indignation and everyone who wants to be on the side of righteousness clamors for it because it makes them feel like soldiers in the good fight. Altruism is a downright destructive force.

SFLBIB

“…the only reason they’re fighting the name change is because they don’t want to re-brand their entire franchise.”

That’s undoubtedly a major part of it. But how would you feel if a bunch of good-for-nothing liberals demanded that you change your name? They are trying to strip the team of its identity, for a name says who and what you are. It is ironic that Indians called themselves names that conjured up images of strength and courage, just like football teams do.

Puggg

Better idea: Get rid of the tax free status for the NFL, period, nothing else. Without them having to do anything.

r j p

Bingo!

bilderbuster

My sentiments exactly.

the sound the flood the hour

So its lawmakers demanding a name change and not these guys in the bottom link? So we have that admission right?

she might reconsider the league’s tax-exempt status if it does not comply.
Sounds like blackmail to me, but then that is how the Federal government works, by blackmail.

DudeWheresMyCountry?

I flip this on idiots all the time. Nicknames are of strong, formidable things and by being “offended” what they are expressing isn’t that others are being racist; they are projecting their own beliefs that a nickname should never be a reference to “Indians” because they were not strong or formidable. The insistence that there should be no names like this is patently racist. The idea that there should be such names is simply an homage, like any other group that is used for a nickname. Why do DWLs not feel this group is worthy? Who is being racist? Think about it.

Lewis33

Like schools can’t be “Rebels” anymore because the mascot glorifies the south, but a Indian mascot is a slur? Can’t have it both ways!

Evette Coutier

If they name them the honkys, I’ll buy season tickets.

Tarczan

Good. A good part of the Redskin fan base works for the federal government. Give them a taste of their own medicine, no matter how trivial.

Spartacus

“But a spokesman for the Redskins took issue. “With all the important
issues Congress has to deal with, such as a war in Afghanistan to
deficits to health care, don’t they have more important issues to worry
about than a football team’s name?”

———————————————————————————————————————

No, they don’t. If they did, your country wouldn’t be in the shape it is today .

SFLBIB

Well, yes and no. Yes, there are more important issues, but a major part of a politician’s success is determined by how well the voters understand the issues he addresses. It is far easier for voters to understand the name change than, say, the effects of taxes on unemployment.

Katherine McChesney

These ‘redskin’ protestors should pay attention to the ritual of the fans during the Atlanta Braves games.

Einsatzgrenadier

Once you cave in to the demands of American Indians or any other group of non-whites, they will take advantage of your weakness and further increase their list of demands. The non-white grievance industry will only end when the traitorous regime in Washington is no more.

SFLBIB

You should note that this is not a demand of American Indians; it is a demand of white liberals.

sbuffalonative

“And given the fact that the name of Oklahoma means ‘red people’ in Choctaw, this request is a little ironic.”

Now THAT’S how to respond to these professional agitators.

Bon, From the Land of Babble

The Washington Redskins have decided to change their name to the Washington Comrades.

With the change comes a 70% tax on the salaries of the Comrades’ players, staff, cheerleaders and coaches to be re-distributed to the needy of Washington D.C. in the name of equity and fairness.

All seats in the stadium will be sold for exactly the same price, except those along the 50 yard line which will be reserved for Commissars of the Duma Congress.

In the interests of equity and a new, no hurt feelings policy, score will NOT be kept and all players will receive a trophy after each game.

Players and fans who don’t comply will be purged and sent to the nearest FEMA camp, aka, gulag for re-education.

There are no boundaries to the control the lefties want to impose. I don’t think our 200+ year old experiment in self government is going to end well.

SFLBIB

“There are no boundaries to the control the lefties want to impose.”

That is why this should be fought to the death.

“The progressive nature is to pocket concessions and move on to the next set of demands.” – Tod Lindberg

willbest

I like the Washington Shylocks. Its not offense because Snyder is a Jew.

OhWow

The thing that really makes me cringe is that these Indians are demanding that the name be changed not because it offends them, but because they want to manipulate white men and get their ego stroked. They are trying to say “Look at the power we have” by doing this.

SFLBIB

It is not the Indians; repeat, it is not the Indians, 80% of whom either don’t care or do approve of the name. It is the liberal whites who are using Indians as mascots to further their goal of dismantling American society.

itdoesnotmatter

Stand your ground, Mr. Snyder. [Not a Jewish name.]
Mother’s stepfather’s name was Snyder, and he was German Catholic.

Mergatroyd

Until we eliminate the hostile elite who encourage, fund, promote and use non-whites to attack whites. Dan Snyder is Jewish, BTW.

Corto

I wish the NFL went out of business and there was no more football.

Mergatroyd

I’ll second that, same for the NBA.

MartelsGhost

It’s easy to help them go bankrupt. Shut off the TV, cancel your cable, don’t buy their stuff.

Plenty of leagues have come and gone throughout the years.

Don’t watch, don’t buy tickets to the freak show.

Greg S

Don’t have cable tv. ESPN gets over $5 per cable subscriber.

Mergatroyd

The jokes write themselves. You’ve done a great job. Better for all, turn off the thug NFL.

saxonsun

There are tons of gays out there, pal. Your kind can’t stand the fact that you can’t keep that hate-lid on us anymore.

Nathanwartooth

I thought what he said was pretty funny, I didn’t find it offensive at all.

What is your problem with it exactly?

MartelsGhost

Tons? How is exactly is less than 2% of worldwide population “tons”?

And what exactly is a “hate-lid” and who is keeping it on you? You seem a little paranoid.

What people can’t stand is the inability for people to either be able to take a joke, as the left is so fond doing about anyone they disagree with, or to be able to keep ones business to ones self. Nobody except you and your consensual partners should ever be privy to what happens in the privacy of your own bedroom.

If being straight, gay or other is what defines you as a person then you truly need to get out more and develop an actual personality.

You have become the worst parts of those same types you claim are “keeping the hate-lid” on top of others. You have become that which you fear most.

Your tone is aggressive and more than a little gleeful. “pal” “your kind” “can’t” “us”. You are enjoying paying back those you see as “keeping you down”, although what the football community has done to you personally is a mystery as you don’t include much background data to go off of.

If you see this whole redskins name thing as offensive to Indians, then perhaps you should ask a real Indian about the matter before you waste your time trying to feel bad for somebody else’s problems.

If you see this as “sticking it to the straight world”, then you need to seek counseling for your psychotic tendencies.

All in all a sad angry comment from a lesbian about a sport she hates because her favorite high school QB never noticed her come prom season………………………….

Bet that last comment got your panties in a twist huh?

SFLBIB

“You have become that which you fear most. ”

Perhaps “You have become that which you hate most” is a better description.

MartelsGhost

I would agree but those that hate generally start off afraid of that which they hate. The hate is an empowerment tool that enables them to challenge their fear. Or so they think………..

Blind hate accomplishes nothing and leaves one open to easy counterattacks.

Pro_Whitey

And as the old joke goes, bring back the Oilers, so you can have the Oilers versus the Packers!
As for the Redskins, why don’t they buy up the rights to the name “The Fightin’ Whities”? I wouldn’t mind.

Dale McNamee

Congress can focus on this while the economy sinks, Obama , Holder, the IRS, EPA, etc.are lawless and the Republican Chihuauas yap impotently and the Demoncraps continue to force their “dystopia” on us…

And they worry about this ?

Puggg

They’ll give in, change the name, and for the cherry on top, they’ll draft Michael Sam.

Bailey R

The irony is that Indian Tribes are tax exempt as well, and the large revenues from their casinos are not taxed either. If it’s time to put aside stereotypes and racially questionable language to finally end the hurt that was inflicted upon people in our earliest history, so that the pain is not continually brought to mind; Then perhaps it’s time to end the tax breaks for Indian tribes. Or perhaps there should no longer be reservations, as this too was a result of a painful era. Give the Native Americans all the equality and benefits they’re entitled to, just like the rest of us. Now there’s a debate I’d like to hear. …Fat chance. Oops, I mean ‘Obese Opportunity’.